1. Field
The field of the invention is soccer goal structures and more particularly such structures which may be adjusted to various sizes, and collapsed or disassembled for convenient storage and transport.
2. State of the Art
Regulation soccer goals are typically constructed of heavy steel pipe anchored into the ground at each end of a playing field, providing a stable permanent structure upon which to install netting to receive the ball. Playing fields with such goals are scarce, limiting practice and effectively hampering the growth of the sport of soccer. In contrast, easily improvised playing areas for basketball, football and baseball encourage practice of these sports by both juveniles and adults. Basketball goals of selective height are quite common, so that even quite small children are not dissuaded from playing. However, available soccer goal designs are not suitable for use by both children and adults, or by smaller than regulation team sizes, or even for use on normally available, limited size, playing areas.
A number of portable soccer goals have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,272 discloses a goal which may be folded after partial disassembly. The goal disclosed however is of regulation size, and would be incongruous installed in an available backyard or a like area. It would in fact be quite impossible to miss such a goal in such a small practice area. The soccer practice net of U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,561 can also be disassembled for portability, but again does not provide the size selectivity needed for practice areas of normally limited sizes. Nor do these goals provide the small sizes needed for use by small children.
Clearly, a need exists for a soccer goal which can be readily disassembled for transport and storage, and which also has a large range of selective sizes and shapes.